The mentorship crisis no one is talking about, and what we’re doing about it

Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 

Mark 1:17 NLT

A quiet crisis is unfolding in our neighborhoods, schools, and churches: young men are struggling, not mainly from circumstance, but because too few have steady community and mentorship. 

Jesus’s call, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people” (Mark 1:17), invites us into exactly the kind of apprenticeship everyone needs to thrive: close, patient, lived discipleship (mentorship and formation). Unfortunately, many young men are not getting this kind of mentorship; instead, they are getting messages of autonomy and independence. 

Thoughtful, consistent relationships shape us so that we thrive mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. When we hear about the crisis amongst young men, we need to remember that too many are just unformed, missing the faithful people who would help them become who they were meant to be.

The crisis behind the statistics

In a recent conversation on KFAX Life!Line (KFAX 1100 AM), which is the longest-running Christian talk show in Northern California, Executive Minister Russ Ewell joined host Craig Roberts to unpack the urgent formation crisis facing young men. The signs are everywhere: many young men report daily loneliness; graduation rates for males are slipping; suicide rates are rising. At the same time, the community structures that once guided boys into adulthood—coaches, mentors, scouts, and local clubs—have largely faded.

Russ’s KFAX interview builds on his Fox News op‑ed, “I’ve Been a Pastor for 40 Years. Young Men Are Struggling and I Think I Know Why.” He argues this is not a problem of masculinity but of formation: the systems that shaped character and responsibility are gone, and too few people have stepped in to replace them. The conversation turns outward from diagnosis to action—exploring practical, relational, and spiritual steps the church can take now to restore mentoring and help a generation become the men they were meant to be.

How the church can help

What emerges from both the op‑ed and the interview is the kind of community we are building at Bay Area Christian Church. We are a God‑focused spiritual family committed to Jesus’s command to love one another (John 13:34). We believe that the Bible—through Jesus’s life and ministry—shows what real relationships look like and how those relationships transform lives.

We champion and invest in young leaders—whether they’re heading to college, trade school, or straight into the workforce. Through intergenerational mentorship, we mobilize retired professionals and mature adults who have invaluable life experience to mentor younger adults.  The church, when it’s living out Jesus’s call of love and mentorship, is one of the most powerful formation communities in the world. 

The need is urgent and the opportunity extraordinary—and it starts with us. Listen to Russ’s full conversation on KFAX Life!Line to hear practical next steps and learn how you can join this work of mentoring, apprenticeship, and lasting community.

Listen to the podcast

Until next time!

BACC Staff